manfrotto or vanguard? flip a coin?

i narrowed down my options also 'cause of availability where i live, but still i dont know for which i should go or if i can throw a coin....

a) manfrotto 055xprop + 496RC2 ( or is it worth to go for the 498RC2?)

b)vanguard ALTA pro 263 + SBH100 (or is it worth to go for the SBH250?)

i have no possibility to try them side by side, i only read my head off , also about SLIK700DX, Benro, Gitzo....but i need to start somewhere so just let these suggestions go, i am limited more or less to this 2 .....

is there any advantage of the one or the other? what would you choose? I shoot with a D7k and heaviest lens is the 70-300mm right now...